When YSL Beauty turns Snapchat into a veritable product launch theater

From "showcase" influence to "experience" influence: a shift in grammar

In the premium beauty industry, influencers have long functioned as a showcase: a face, a product, a promo code, then a carefully orchestrated repetition of the same ritual on Instagram and, more recently, on TikTok. This model hasn't disappeared, but it's losing its appeal with a Gen Z audience that expects more than a straightforward recommendation. What this generation is looking for is lived experience, a practical application, a feeling, a narrative that resonates with their own conversations and allows them to actively participate.

This is precisely where YSL Beauty. By placing Snapchat creators at the heart of the strategy, the brand doesn't simply "dress up" a launch with influencers; it transforms the launch itself into an experience. The product becomes a pretext for interaction, trial, visual play, and real-time storytelling, rather than just a new product to announce. This shift from showcase influence to experiential influence redefines the role of talent, the form of content, and the way performance is measured.

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